Seppia's new life
by L. Byron
Summary: Set after episode 9 of the third season "monsters"
1. Renatus

"Do not move"

The words came from a voice Seppia did not recognize, yet she did not dare open her eyes. It sounded like a young woman

"What has happened?" she wondered, and then the memory of previous events struck her with force; Her attempt and failure to avenge her brother's death. Ilithyia killing her

"Is this death? Am I in Hades realm" she wondered. She felt so cold and tired.

She sensed that someone approached and then sat near her.

"Drink this" the calm voice said "It will make you feel better.

Seppia felt as the stranger put a vase close to her lips. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious and she drank all its content voraciously.

When she opened her eyes she saw the pale face of a girl that was about her age, her eyes had a strange brightness in them.

"Tell me, young one…do you still want revenge?"

Seppia considered this but decided to avoid the subject for a moment

"How did she know?" she wondered

"Where am I?" she looked around and found herself in an unfamiliar room. It was late at night and no candle lit the room, but strangely she could see as clear as if it was daylight.

She stared at the girl and asked again "Who are you?... what has happened?"

"So many questions" the girl said with her soft voice

She stared at Seppia and answered "You are in my villa, not that far from Capua…as for whom I am"

She closed her eyes and smiled slightly "Well I currently go by the name of Alexandra"

She stared curiously at Seppia and added "A Proper roman name, don't you think?"

"Currently?" Seppia wondered but decided not to ask.

"As for what happened..I think you know how the events unfolded" Alexandra continued "You were on the verge of death when I found you"

Seppia, still unsure on how she survived, asked

"How did you save me? And why did you do it?"

The girl answered "Well…you could say I was bored and my interest have been picked by all the events happening in Capua in the last couple of months…all the intrigue…I haven't felt like for a very long time"

She smiled at Seppia again and added "And to tell you the truth I found you very interesting to just let you die. I want to see how this unfolds"

Seppia stared at her with confusion and asked again

"You haven't told me how you saved me"

Seppia watched in horror as long fangs extended in Alexandra's mouth

"I have so much to tell you".

Meanwhile

"What do you mean the body is not there?" Glaber asked

Ashur answered "No sign of it"


	2. In sanguine veritas

_Author's notes_

I am going to take a few liberties with the time of the events.

A week have passed, a week in which "Alexandra" taught her young "apprentice" all she needed to know of her kind and their ways.

"Remember" she told her again as they stood in front of the former Ludus "The living must never know of our existence"

Seppia stared at her and nodded "I need answers, that is all" she had already discovered that blood not only brought "life" to her undead body, but also the memories and feelings of her "victims".

Although a spoiled girl, Seppia was not a cruel person, so, to her relief, she discovered that only a small amount of blood was all she needed to satisfy her hunger, she didn't need to kill. Glaber and Ilithyia were a different matter.

Glaber and Ilithyia were sleeping in their chambers when a mist began forming right next to their bed.

Three hours later

Alexandra was reading an ancient Egyptian papyrus, something that she kept from her mortal life, when Seppia walked into the room and sat in a chair, a small trail of blood went from her mouth to the chin.

Alexandra saw confusion in the girl's expression.

"I could not take their lives" Seppia said after a long silence.

She stared at Alexandra and added "I..I saw their memories, and also Lucretia's and Ashur….By the gods, they are all monsters"

She stopped for a moment and lowered her face, as if ashamed of something, then whispered

"I don't want to be like them"

For a moment Seppia was lost in one of Ilithyia's Memories.

She had truly intended to killer her and Her husband but then, as she drank her blood, a phrase coming from someone she didn't expect shook her

"Yet in inflicting equal wound how do I not become the man himself, a man my wife would turn from?"

It surprised her that the little honor she saw in those memories didn't come from the people she knew but from the slaves.

She stood up and said "I..I am going to sleep…need to clear my thoughts"

She realized that Romans barely considered slaves as human beings but now a thought crossed her mind.

"We are the monsters" and that filled her with sadness. She was truly sickened by all the scheming that had only brought death to Capua, not only to slaves but Romans as well. She was but the latest victim in the madness


	3. divina malediction

_"Your slaves" Seppia asked with curiosity "They do know what we are?"_

_Alexandra raised her gaze from the book she was reading and smiled_

_"You are mistaken, Seppia. They are not slaves but my loyal servants…and yes, they do know"_

_Up until know, Seppia and Alexandra had just talked of the ways of the undead, but she still haven't asked about Alexandra's story._

_"So" Seppia asked shyly "H..how did you become what we are"_

_For a moment Alexandra's eyes stared far away, as if recalling distant memories._

_"My story goes far into the past, young one" she said "Long before the time of the republic and the foundation of Rome"_

_She stared at Seppia in the eyes and continued _

_"I was born when Egypt was still ruled by Egyptian Pharaohs, before the Persians and the Greeks conquered my country"_

_Seppia noted the pride in Alexandra's eyes._

_"My Father named me Isetnofret" she continued "He had many sons and daughters and I was the youngest of the family"_

_She took a moment to continue and smiled as she saw her story had picked Seppia's interest._

_"I have told you there are others of our kind, that for one to be made you must drink the blood of your victim to the point of death and then give some of your blood….well that was not my case"_

_Seppia asked "How is that possible?"_

_Alexandra made a sad smile and continued_

_"You could say that it was my father's stubbornness that created all this"_

_Her face became really serious and added _

_"You can't oppose God and get away with it"_

_Seppia's face paled a little but said nothing_

_For a moment Isetnofret continued as if she was talking to herself_

_"If he had just let the slaves go nothing of this would have happened" she stared at Seppia again and smiled "Another slave rebellion..perhaps that is why I am so interested"_

_She continued "I was not made by another, for I am the first of our kind" she confessed and added_

_"I was with my oldest brother on that fateful night when the bringer of death came to take his life, the firstborn of my father"_

_She stared at Seppia again and added "Death came for him but I looked into her eyes…It was not my time, but I have stared into death's eyes…Not alive, not truly dead"_

_Seppia noticed a bloody tear escaping Alexandra's eyes_

_"The world moved on but I remained the same, I am but a relic of a distant past… I watched as all my loved ones and even their descendents died and even passed from history…I have witnessed the rise and fall of many empires"_

_She stared at Seppia and added "Rome will not be the exception, nothing last forever_


	4. A diverse genus celebrationis

_Author's notes._

_Vampires in this story are indeed nocturnal creatures, but I am taking the same notion from Slavic folklore and also what Bram stoker used in his novel "Dracula". The sun is not mortal to vampires, only weakens their powers. _

_The next night, Seppia woke with an idea. From the memories of Ashur, Glaber and _Ilithyia she knew the location of the slaves hiding spot. With a determined look on her face, she went outside Alexandra's house and stared into the south, towards Mount Vesuvius, then remembered one of Alexandra's lessons,

"Just let yourself go" she had said "you are not bound by the laws of nature anymore... you are above it".

With just her will, Seppia's body was lifted in the air. Never in her life had she felt more at freedom than now; this was freedom from the very laws of nature and she allowed the night breeze lift her higher and higher until they she was floating over the treetops.

"Do this only on moonless nights" Alexandra had warned "No one must see us displaying our powers"

Seppia smiled briefly as she began flying to the south.

"This tree will be perfect" Seppia thought as she settled in a branch. It was the perfect cover in a dark night like this, and was close enough that she could see and hear what was happening.

She recognized some of the slaves from the memories she had seen or her own memory when she attended the games.

At the moment they all seemed to be in discussion, and it seemed to her that they were not as united as she previously thought; it was obvious the animosity between Crixus and Agron.

Seppia's interest was picked when Agron translated a question from a german woman

"She asks why you let Ilithya go, when Glaber did not trade weapons as promised"

Spartacus answer made Seppia look at him in a new light. She had already seen the injustices committed against him, but it was the first time she heard the man's thoughts

"Taking her life would not have gained us what we need. It would only have served misplaced vengeance. We are better than this, we are better than the romans"

Seppia could not help but feel miserable for those words

She saw as Spartacus gave a few instructions to restart training under Oenomaus and Gannicus, but Oenomaus rejected any help. It didn't escape to her the sad look in Gannicus face as he stared briefly at the other champion.

"I wonder if this has to do with Oenomaus discovering the affair of his wife and Gannicus" she thought and her mind recalled one of Lucretia's memory, when Gannicus and Ilithya were forced to have sex with Melitta just for the entertainment of a magistrate.

She watched for a few hours, nothing interesting happening until Gannicus announced that a wagon was approaching.

Seppia's interest was once again picked up when Spartacus answered crixus on the purpose of the wagon when he found out it was by his orders that Agron brought the wagon

"To secure what we desperately need"

At first she was not really sure what was the purpose of the celebration, she Heard as Gannicus asked Crixus

"I barely know the man, absent furrowed brow."

Seppia wondered the same, but Crixus answer came shortly

"He is not a man of drunken pursuits. His brow may not reveal it, but there is yet intent upon mind"

At that moment Spartacus raised his cup and gave a speech

"It lifts heart, to hear voices raised in spirit. To see us bonded. Not by brand, not by homeland, but by an ideal. That every man… every woman… should be born, should live, and should die with the taste of freedom forever upon their lips"

The other slaves cherished and he continued

"Yet if we are to defeat the Romans, we must put aside our differences, and come together as one. Let us have sport, pairing those of you with ill feelings against your equals. And let us see if thirst for victory triumphs petty quarrel."

Crixus couldn't said it better what was on Seppia's mind

"Intent is revealed"

Seppia smiled as she watched one by one the pairs formed and the confrontations. During her mortal life, Seppia had been in many parties and celebrations, but never before had she seen such camaraderie. She felt envy for a moment. These people were true friends, not what she had experienced in her life with the nobility. There was no place here for envy or petty schemes; no need for masks

The last fight gained her full attention as Oenomaus and Gannicus were paired together against Crixus and Agron.

When the last fight was over she considered returning to Capua, but then she wondered if she could "gain" access to the memories of a few people


	5. Memorias

It was strange for Oenomaus to feel so tired

Normally he would wait until the others had gone to sleep so He would be alone with his own thoughts, but tonight He decided to retire inside the temple and get some sleep early. He preferred to sleep alone and went to a darkened corner.

As he lay on the ground, the tiredness in his body grew. The last thing he saw before he closed his eyes was a mist forming right next to him, and then he knew nothing more.

Nasir was keeping watch with Saxa and Donar. It had been a good night but there was something in the air that made Nasir feel a little uneasy.

"I will be back in a while" he told the two Germans

"Where are you going?" Donar asked with curiosity as Nasir jumped off the wall

"I just want to take a look inside" he said "Just to make sure everything is fine".

He walked with caution as he didn't want to disturb the sleeping rebels. He checked most of the temple but found nothing out of the ordinary, except that he found Oenomaus, Spartacus, Mira, Crixus, Naevia and his lover Agron not sleeping in their usual spots but on darkened corners, as if all of them wanted privacy. He didn't give that much of a thought and was about to head back outside, when in the corner of his eye he watched something that made the hair in his neck rise.

There, in the deepest part of the temple, he saw Gannicus sleeping with a woman at his side.

It was just a split of a moment, but he noticed the woman's clothes were not of a slave but a Roman noble. As if sensing his presence, the woman raised her head from Gannicus throat and stared briefly at Nassir. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, Nassir closed his eyes for just one second, but when he opened them again, she was gone.

"Am I going mad?" he wondered briefly "perhaps all the tension is affecting me".

A few hour later Seppia was resting in her room absorbed in her own thoughts; she didn't even noticed when Alexandra walked in her room and sat across her.

"Penny for your thoughts"

Seppia was startled a bit by her maker.

"I was thinking, except forIlithyia and Glaber, No one knows I "died" a few days ago"

Alexandra didn't like where this conversation was headed but remained silent

"I was thinking, I am the sole heir of my family…I do have certain responsibilities"

Alexandra asked "What do you think will be Glaber and Ilithya's reaction?"

Seppia smiled and answered "And what can they do? Tell others that they murdered a roman citizen? That I am a ghost?"

Alexandra disapproved of this but said

"You are free to do as you wish, but I advice caution"

The sun was about to come out and Alexandra added "we will continue this conversation at night"

Before she left, Seppia said "All my slaves were killed by Glaber and his men when they..." she took a moment to continue as the memory pained her

"Killed my brother"

Alexandra saw as a bloody tear escaped Seppia's eyes

"I just wish I had had the opportunity to have known them better….To ask for their forgiveness If I was ever cruel to them"

Alexandra sat in Seppia's bed and touched her face

"I saw you memories, and you have nothing to be ashamed of"

Seppia answered "Yes I do…until very recently I saw slaves as nothing but mere property. I may not have been cruel to them, but I should have treated them better…as human beings with feelings of their own"

There was one particular memory that had broken her heart when she drank Spartcus blood; the look in his eyes when he was forced to kill Varro just to please the whims of a spoiled brat.

Yet, despite everything they all have been through, they retained a sense of honor and Justice.

Meanwhile

"Tomorrow Night we strike..prepare your men"

Ashur nooded and left


	6. Bellum

_Seppia spent a few days in Rome with the company of Alexandra. She needed to take care of certain matter now that she decided to go "public". She was not attached to any man now. She was not married and both her father and brother had died so in Roman law she was an independent woman._

_Her family was the wealthiest in Capua and one of the most influential, although compared with the roman families; they were but mere provincial leaders._

_She wanted to return as soon as possible to see how events were unfolding; so far she had been on the edge, only watching and not interfering, but her mind was still in turmoil. _

_"Where are you going?" Alexandra asked when they finally arrived, even thought she already knew the answer._

_Seppia answered before she took off "To see the rebellion"._

_The destruction on the temple was terrible. Most of the bodies had already been removed and cremated but Seppia could see that a terrible battle had occurred._

_She had already seen that the roman encampment guarded the only entrance to the Mount Vesuvius._

_"They are trapped there" she though as she watched the mountain. For a moment she was tempted to fly and see how they were faring but it was too risky. _

_Her thought were interrupted as she saw Ashur and his men coming to talk with Glaber's second in command._

_The conversation seemed to be talking an aggressive tone, but then a few slaves attacked. At first the slaves seemed to be losing the confrontation, but then Seppia saw that Spartacus and others came to the rescue._

_As they were retreating, Glabber's second in command threw an axe towards Spartacus but instead it hit Mira._

_Seppia knew too well that look in Spartacus eyes, she had seen it when Varro and his own wife had died._

_She wanted to help but felt tied by Alexandra's words of no interference; she returned home with a heavy heart._

_When she returned, she told Alexandra what she witnessed_

_"What are you planning to do?"_

_Seppia thought about it for a while and confessed "I..I am not so sure"._

_She decided to go to the former Ludus and see what Lucretia and Ilithya were up to before heading back home when the sun was about to rise. As she laid in her bed, her last thought was of Spartacus pain as he watched his lover dying._

_At night, when she was about to leave, she heard her maker _

_"Promise you will not interfere?" _

_Seppia simply said, without turning to look at Alexandra "I need to go and see how this ends…I can't promise you anything._

_When she arrived, she saw Gannicus, Spartacus, Agron and Crixus standing alone, facing Glaber's army._

_"How did they escape Vesuvius?" She wondered_

_As Glaber's army began to advance on them, they were surprised in their back as the rest of the slaves, Lead by Oenomaus, appeared and charged. _

_She watched the battle unfold from the top of a tree, noticing that the slaves were gaining the upper hand_

_Something broke inside of her as Oenomaus fell to the Egyptian, Before she knew what she was doing, she moved faster than what the human eye could see and grabbed the former gladiator, who lost his __Consciousness__ due to his wounds and how fast Seppia was moving_

_"I need help here" she yelled as she arrived in Alexandra's house_

_"he put the unconscious Gladiator on the bed and left the room while the servant began to give him medical attention. She wanted to return to the battle, but stopped as she saw Alexandra, a look of horror in her face, standing not far from her and holding a small bundle in her arms._

_"The world is gone mad" she simply said._

_Seppia's eyes widened as she heard in horror the story Alexandra narrated, that culminated in Lucretia's madness and her death._

_"I didn't fallow my own advice to just watch and not interfere". She stared at the baby in her arms "I just couldn't"_


	7. euigilans

After his victory speech, Spartacus approached Gannicus and asked

"No news from Oenomaus?"

Crixus and Naevia, who were also deeply worried of the former doctore's whereabouts, came to listen.

I searched the field of battle over and over and there is no sign of his body.

Spartacus signalled their prisoner, the Egyptian, who was the only one of the roman army that didn't try to run away after their defeat or surrender.

"What about him? You told me that the last time you saw Oenomaus, he was facing our prisoner"

Gannicus shook his head.

"What he told me just does not make any sense. He said that Oenomaus simply disappeared".

From her hiding spot Seppia listened to the conversation with great interest. Previously her admiration for Spartacus grew as he spared the life of those who surrendered and even set them free, except the Egyptian.

"Go back to Rome" he said "and tell them there that we are no longer your slaves"

"I wonder" Seppia thought "If a roman had been the victor, would he have done the same?"

She returned to Alexandra's villa and entered the room where the former doctore was being tended. To her great relief his wound was not as grave as she previously thought and was not in mortal danger. She had instructed for him to be tied in case he woke up and tried to do something that would harm himself of others.

She sat next to him and waited.

When Oenomaus opened his eyes, his vision was a little blurry and his mind groogy. He looked around in confusion and found himself in an unknown place, away from the battle. He noticed that there was a bandage covering the wound the Egyptian had caused him. He wasn't sure where he was, what had happened and how did he get to where ever he was.

Fear began to fill him as he tried to move but found himself unable to.

"Stay still…You need to rest and recover"

The voice was soft and pleasant.

He turned and what he saw filled his heart with pessimistic thoughts

"We lost the battle and I have been taken prisoner" he thought as the young woman was obviously a roman noble.

Noticing the stress in his expression, Seppia said

"Don't be afraid, I mean you no harm"

Still not trusting her, He kept his mouth shut. Seppia knew from his own memories how proud the former doctore was.

"I know this is hard to believe, but I assure you that you are perfectly safe here. I just want to take care of you and then you will be free to do as you wish"

Oenomaus laughed internally. "This has to be a game to her" he thought. He turned to look at her face, but was surprised to find nothing but sincerity and worry in those eyes. He was good at judging people and found nothing false about her

"Am I not a prisoner?" he asked

"No"

He asked again

"Then why am I tied?"

Seppia sighed and answered "How would you have reacted if you were not tied and found yourself in strange surroundings and with a roman…I needed to make sure you would not overreact and harm yourself or us"

Despite his incredulity, her words made sense to him.

"If what you are telling me is true, there are still things I don't understand…How did I get here?... What was the outcome of the battle?...and why would you help a…slave?"

Seppia smiled and answered

"All you need to know is that Glaber forces were defeated and all your friends are fine"

To his surprise she reached out and caressed his face

"Rest" she said gently.

For a moment he thought he saw her eyes glowing brightly. Tiredness began to overcome him again and soon he was asleep again.

Alexandra, who watched the whole exchange from the shadows, approached Seppia and say

"Do you want me to watch over him?"

Seppia smiled and answered "I would appreciate that"

She returned to the temple with an idea on her mind; when she was alive Seppia was an impulsive persona, and that didn't change with her "death". She watched as the slaves had already retired for a well deserved rest and on an impulse decided to act

Unlike other night Spartacus had been one of the first to retire. He felt very tired tonight and despite the victory the death of Mira was a brutal blow.

Seppia watched him sleeping and thought

"We need to talk"


	8. Bello de Immortales

She wondered for a moment how to wake him without freaking him out, and after some consideration she decided that it would be wiser if she first appeared to those that were keeping guard at the entrance of the temple. She stared one last time at Spartacus sleeping body and then left.

Most of the former slaves were still celebrating their victory; Crixus and Naevia were on top of the part of the wall that wasn't destroyed in the battle. They were both looking at the way leading to the temple and the near woods, keeping watch.

"Get down" Lugo said, a vase filled with wine in his right hand "No need to keep watch tonight.

Both Naevia and Crixus looked at him; Naevia smiled and said "Perhaps, but we also needed a few moments alone to think of our fallen comrades and what's ahead".

The hair in Crixus neck rose when he heard a woman's voice behind.

"Hello" the voice said

Moments later, Seppia was in the temple's entrance surrounded by the rebels; she could see Fear, shock, anger and curiosity in their expression.

Agron was already gone inside the temple to wake Spartacus.

Crixus, who was mostly shocked on how someone had sneaked on him so easily, especially a young woman that was obviously a noble, watched her with wide eyes and whispered to Naevia.

"H..How did she do that?...It was as if she appeared out of thin air"

Naevia answered in a whisper, her own eyes showing the same incredulity

"We were both looking at the road and she wasn't there…I didn't even hear her footsteps".

They thought no one heard their conversation, as they only spoke in whisperers, but to their shock, the young woman stared straight at them and smiled.

At that moment Spartacus appeared at the entrance of the temple with Agron at his side. The whole scene made no sense to him.

As he approached, Seppia smiled briefly at him but then her senses detected something.

"The presence of death" she thought.

"YOU THINK YOU HAVE WON"

A powerful voice was heard all over the place. There was something unnatural about it.

Instinctively the rebels went to gather weapons; Gannicus, Crixus and Agron were to stand at Spartacus side. Out of reflex Spartacus stared at the wall, but the source of the voice seemed to come from all directions.

"WHO IS THERE?" He demanded with authority, but only a sinister laughter was heard.

Spartacus looked Hard at Seppia, thinking that she was also part of this.

"Who is out there…have the Romans sent another force?"

Seppia, who was trying to locate the source of the voice, looked at Spartacus.

"I.."

She was interrupted by a woman's scream; it came from the entrance of the temple.

"What the?" was all Gannicus could say

For a moment they all froze as they saw a "man" dressed all in black clothes, holding a woman. At first they could not see his face, as it was deeply buried in her throat.

A chill filled the air, and even the tied Egyptian felt it, when the woman fell to the ground and they all could see his features.

His face was deadly pale and his eyes glowed in the dark of the night. Two long fangs protruded from his mouth as a trail of blood went from his lips to the chin.

Despite their fear, and after their initial shock, the slaves charged but the man smiled and disappeared

They all looked at each other, confusion and fear in their minds.

"Well well… what have we here" the voice again sounded from everywhere "A fellow sister of darkness has come to feast as well on the blood of the animals and avenge Rome"

Seppia noticed that the slaves closest to her took some distance

Not knowing where he was, Seppia exclaimed as she looked all around her

"I…AM… NOT YOUR SISTER" For a moment she stared at Spartacus and then added. "AND THEIR CAUSE IS JUST"

Something hit her with brutal force and she fell to the ground, she rose up with difficult and looked around again. Whoever it was, it was very powerful as she didn't see his movements.

His laughter was heard again. Agron stared at Spartacus, hoping to see some sort of a plan on his face, but Spartacus expression denoted that he was just as confused and afraid as the others.

"Embrace the darkness and your nature" The man said "now be a good roman and help me kill them all".

"NO….I'M NOT A KILLER"

The next attack was more brutal and she fell to the ground, her face hidden.

"Look" Nassir screamed "He is up there"

All the rebels looked up and saw the "man" on top of a tree, standing effortless in a small branch; a mocking smile in his face.

Seppia began to rise from the ground, her face still down. Naevia went to help her stand but backed away in horror as she saw the woman's face.

"What the?" was all Crixus could say.

At that moment Seppia was not paying attention to the looks of horror around her. Her instincts took control of her as she watched furiously at her enemy.

The smile disappeared from the face of the man and his expression was now very serious.

"You are a killer"

Seppia licked some of her own blood due to her injuries, and to everyone surprise she took off and charged the other "creature".

As the fight in the air took place, Spartacus was trying to keep order among the rebels

"Go inside the temple" he instructed.

Seppia fought with a fury she didn't know she had, but it was not enough as her adversary was just to strong.

Eventually she fell to the ground and soon he was on top of her.

"Join me" he hissed

"NEVER" She screamed at him as she tried to break free from his strong grip.

"A shame… You have forced me to k…"

He didn't finish his sentences as a knife entered his left eye and another his thoat. He screamed in pain and Seppia took the opportunity and threw him of her.

Both Gannicus and Spartacus had taken the chance to attack him when he was distracted. Seppia stared at them both and said "Stand back… this isn't over" then she stood between them and the "monster".

The men let out another cry of pain as he took out both knives. All the slaves watched with incredulity as the wounds began to heal almost instantly.

"I was going to give you all a quick death" he said in anger "But now I will take my time"

Seppia readied herself, but Just as the man was about to attack, something grabbed him with incredible force

Seppia's eyes widened

"A…alexandra".

All the rebels watched as a black haired woman had pushed the man against the wall with incredible force. She grabbed him by the throat and raised him above the ground, hissing at him

"Isetnofret" the man said, fear evident on his face

"I don't know why my sister made you one of us" she said with venom and added

"These people are now under my protection…leave and don't ever come back"

She released him and he fell to the ground.

After a few seconds, He rose up. He gave the rebels and Seppia one last venomous look before he disappeared.

Alexandra sighed and then turned her face where Seppia stood. She smiled briefly and then disappeared as well.

Seppia sighed and turned slowly to face them. She saw Spartacus and Gannicus staring at her with wide eyes. Crixus and Agron were coming to join them while the rest of the slaves stood still at the entrance of the temple.

Her emotions were still high and she knew her features hadn't changed.

"Calm down" Seppia said to herself as she took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as she felt her fangs slowly receding into her mouth. When she opened her eyes again, they were not glowing"

For a moment Seppia and the slaves stared at each other. This wasn't exactly the type of meeting she wanted.

"Is the girl alright?" she asked to break the ice.

Agron, who had tended her, replied

"She's lost a lot of blood but she will make it".

An uncomfortable silence followed

"I..I have news from Oenomaus….he is alive and well"


	9. credere in te

"Oenomaus" Gannicus repeated. That simple word had erased the fear and mistrust Gannicus felt for the "creature". For a moment all he cared about was the possibility that his brother was alive.

Before anyone reacted, Gannicus approached the young woman and stared into her eyes.

"You speak the truth?" he asked as he watched her intently.

"Yes" she replied calmly.

Spartacus, who was still trying to accept what he had just witnessed, came to stand at Gannicus side and asked,

"Where is he? And how did you find out about his fate?"

Seppia felt a little hurt to see the distrust in his eyes.

"I took him away from the battle when I saw he was hurt. Right now he is recovering in a villa near Capua".

Spartacus eyes widened with surprise.

"You saw the battle?" he asked but it sounded as if he asked the question more to himself than to Seppia, as he averted his eyes from her. He knew the girl possessed abilities that were beyond him or any other gladiator, and yet, despite being of the roman nobility, she didn't help Glaber. He had many questions in his mind but for the moment decided to focus on the doctore.

Still not trusting her entirely, after all experience had taught him that roman nobles were capable of almost anything, he asked.

"Is he a prisoner? Are you here to demand something from us in exchange of his freedom?"

Spartacus words hurt for it reminded her why he, and the other rebels, had come to distrust the Romans.

"He is not a prisoner and as soon as he has recovered I will bring him back".

Spartacus considered her words, but was interrupted by Gannicus.

"Take me to him"

Both Seppia and Spartacus looked at him with different expressions. Seppia smiled slightly at him, as if thanking him for showing some trust. Spartacus simply asked

"Are you sure about this?"

Gannicus answered "If she had wanted" he stared at her and nodded "She could have killed us all".

Three hours later Spartacus was alone at the entrance of the temple. His eyes were closed as he recalled memories of his wife and also Mira.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a familiar voice.

"She spoke the truth".

Spartacus opened his eyes and stared at them both with evident surprise.

"So soon? You went to Capua and returned in such little time"

He eyed Seppia who just smiled shyly.

"It was also hard for me to believe it myself" Gannicus added. "She moved so fast that the world seemed like a blur"

Then he turned to Seppia and smiled

"Gratitude for saving my brother".

Seppia nodded but remained silent.

"Oenomaus was awake for a moment, he said he needed to talk with you...The only thing is that you would have to spend the day there as their kind does not have all their abilities when the sun is up" Gannicus finally said before he entered the temple. He turned to look one last time at Seppia and nodded.

Both Seppia and Spartacus stared at each other as they were left alone.

He had taken many risks before to help his brothers, now he trusted his decision was not going to be a bad one.

"You can take me with him?" He asked.

Seppia stared straight into his eyes "Yes, but only if you want to"

1 hour later, Seppia was talking to Alexandra.

"He said he needed some privacy" Seppia explained before leaving her maker's room. After a while She was about to retire to her own room as the sun was about to come up, but saw a servant coming her way fallowed by Spartacus.

As the servant left them alone, Spartacus was the first to speak.

"I owe you an apology, my lady…You saved Oenomaus and even all our lives from that monster and yet I have given you nothing but my distrust…I hope you can forgive me"

Seppia smiled and said softly

"There is nothing to forgive. I know how you have suffered at the hands of my own countryman".

She closed her eyes for a moment as she recalled a few memories

"I hope you will learn to trust me and see that not all of us are evil".


	10. Propositum

Spartacus slept almost all day since he hadn't rested after the battle, and exhaustion finally claimed over his body after the hard stay on Mount Vesuvius.

When the sun set Seppia woke up, and after taking a quick bath she asked one of the house servants if the guests had awoken.

"No my lady, both of them are still sleeping"

Moments later, Seppia stood in front of the door that lead to Spartacus room, unsure of what to do, but after a while her impulsive nature got the best of her and she decided to enter the room.

She opened the door slowly and then approached the still sleeping rebel; as she watched him sleeping, she noticed that he was having a nightmare as his face was filled with anguish.

A tear escaped his closed eyes as he whispered in his slept

"Forgive me Varro"

Touched by this she gently wiped the tear from his face.

The image of Varro was still on his mind when Spartacus woke. Sadness was evident on his face as well as a little confusion when he didn't recognize his surrounding until she saw the girl's face.

He smiled sadly at her, with a little shame to be seen in a vulnerable state.

"Good Night, my lady"

Seppia sat next to him and said

"It was not your fault" she lowered her face for a moment

"Varro" she explained "You said his name in your dreams"

Spartacus was surprised by this

"H..How did you know?" he asked

"I know that he was a good man and a good friend…and he died at the whims of a spoiled brat…there was nothing you could have done about it"

For a moment Spartacus was at a loss of words, not knowing what to say. Seppia stood up and extended her hand to him.

"Come, there are important matter to be discussed with Alexandra and Oenomaus"

As they entered Oenomaus room, they found him talking with Alexandra. In the short time she had come to know him, the Egyptian princess had developed a deep respect for the Nubian gladiator. In the long years of her life she had met very few men that were as honourable and decent as him

Oenomaus, who still hadn't talk with Seppia, Nodded at her and said

"Gratitude for saving my life" he said and bowed in respect. Seppia smiled at him and proceeded to sit on a chair next to his bed.

After a moment of silence, It was Alexandra who began the conversation.

"Now that we are all together, I think it's time to discuss the course of action" she stared at Spartacus and added

"You defeated Glabber, yet you must know that Rome will not stay still…His troops were a militia, not the proper roman army as the senate considered that a slave rebellion was not a serious situation…yet that will change from now on"

Spartacus knew this already and said

"I know that, my lady" He stared at Oenomaus and continued "We all know from the beginning that it was going to be hard, yet we can still triumph"

Seppia was surprised by this

"Triumph over Rome?"

Spartacus added

"I have no grandeur delusions of marching to Rome herself…Our triumph would be to escape from the republic... That is all we want".

"The reach of Rome goes far" Oenomaus said with a worried expression. "The way I see it, we can either try to cross the Alps into Gaul, but that would force to travel across Italy, or go south and try to pay to cross the sea to the east."

"There could be a third choice" Alexandra said mysteriously.

Three pair of curious eyes stared at her

"You could also "disappear" from history"

At their surprised expression she added

"I own the biggest private fleet in all the Mediterranean…and I feel it's time to return to my homeland after two centuries"

She smiled and added "also I personally know the most important people in roman politics…I can "convince" them to delay the legions for a while, at least until all your people are safe in a few of my ships"

She stared directly into Spartacus eyes and asked

"Tell me...do you want to see the ancient land of the pharaohs?"


	11. Revelatione

After a few seconds of reflexion, Spartacus said

"I can't take that decision alone…I must talk with the others to see what is on their minds"

Oenomaus added

"Most of them are Gauls, Britons or from the east of the Rhine…People of the north that would be travelling to a land strange to them"

Spartacus nodded and said "Not just that…once we get there, what would we do".

Alexandra answered

"I have no slaves with me… all my servants receive a fair payment for their services and are free to leave whenever they want"

Seeing their doubtful faces, she quickly added

"You are all free to decide what to do with your lives; I am only giving you options, but I would be honoured to have men as yourselves working for me…working as free men in honest occupations. You all can start a new life".

A few hours later, she repeated the same offer to the rest of the slaves. Murmurs were heard everywhere, especially among the Germans, who have only heard mention of Egypt as a distant and almost mythical land.

"We will be departing in a week…I will be bringing proper clothing so you all can pass unnoticed among my servants when we reach the port where my ships will be waiting".

Agron was the first to voice his opinion

"I desire to return to my homeland, but I also know that marching to the north would take us closer to Rome…the way I see it this is our best chance to escape the Romans"

Gannicus, who had been to Rome previously, agreed

"You have a very small chance to reach the alps in case you decide to march north…I have been to Rome and let me tell you that you have not faced yet the might of the republic"

To the dubious stares, Spartacus spoke

"I know many of you wish to return to your homelands...but for the moment I advice caution; let time pass and wait for a more convenient time, for those that would desire it, to return to your lands".

When the meeting was over, Alexandra told the leaders of the rebellion.

"I depart for Rome now… time to "convince" my friends to delay the legions"

Before she left, Spartacus said

"Gratitude, my lady…for everything"

She smiled at him "From now on call me Alexandra" she said and then took off.

Seppia decided to stay for a while as she was still debating with herself if she should tell Spartacus about his newborn daughter.

Despite everything, she could still feel the fear some of the slaves felt about her condition as she was left alone in her own thoughts.

"Come on join us" she heard a female voice, and when she looked up she saw Naevia, who was smiling kindly at her.

The rebels were about to eat dinner and Seppia approached the spot where Naevia was. Crixus, Nassir, Agron, Gannicus and Spartacus were also there.

Seppia could see the curiosity in their eyes and she knew what was on their minds.

"I know you are all wondering what we are..Alexandra and I"

All those that were sitting close to them stopped talking and listened with interest.

"A…are you a ..g..goddess" Nassir asked shyly.

Seppia denied with her head

"I am a human, just like all of you"

"B..but then.. how?" Spartacus asked with incredulity.

"I am a human" she took his hands and brought them to where her heart was "Yet there is no life in this body".

His eyes widened as he felt no heartbeat.

Nassir's face paled. He remembered old tales in his homeland when he was a child

"ekimmu" he said.

When the others stared at him, he elaborated

"In Syria there are tales that speak of the restless dead that rise at night and drink the blood of the living…we call them Ekimmu"

Seppia replied

"This…curse, originated in Egypt..Alexandra explained to me how it began. "

Those present listened with great interest as Seppia gave a brief description of Isetnofret's tale

"You mean she has lived for more than a thousand years?" Crixus asked impressed

"And she was the daughter of the pharaoh?" added Naevia.

Spartacus asked

"Then the roman that attacked us was also one of your kind?"

"He was" Seppia replied.

"We drink the blood of the living because it possesses the life we no longer have" she explained "However there is no real danger for the living, as only a few drops of blood are enough to quench our thirst"

She also told them her story, How Alexandra found her dying and the transformation.

Spartacus looked at her with sympathy

"You were also a victim of Glaber"

She added "He killed my brother and many others in his ambition….he was truly a monster"


End file.
